December 8, 2016 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Gn 3:9-15, 20 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,the LORD God called to the man and asked him, ďWhere are you?ĒHe answered, ďI heard you in the garden;but I was afraid, because I was naked,so I hid myself.ĒThen he asked, ďWho told you that you were naked?You have eaten, then,from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!ĒThe man replied, ďThe woman whom you put here with meóshe gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.ĒThe...

November 21, 2016 Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5 I, John, looked and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion,and with him a hundred and forty-four thousandwho had his name and his Fatherís name written on their foreheads.I heard a sound from heavenlike the sound of rushing water or a loud peal of thunder.The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.They were singing what seemed to be a new hymn before the throne,before the four living creatures and the elders.No one could learn this hymn except...

September 15, 2016 Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows Reading 1 1 Cor 15:1-11 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the Gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures;that he appeared to Cephas, then...

September 12, 2016 Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33 Brothers and sisters:In giving this instruction, I do not praise the factthat your meetings are doing more harm than good.First of all, I hear that when you meet as a Churchthere are divisions among you,and to a degree I believe it;there have to be factions among youin order that also those who are approved among youmay become known.When you meet in one place, then,it is not to eat the Lordís supper,for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper,and one...

September 8, 2016 Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Mic 5:1-4a The LORD says:You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,too small to be among the clans of Judah,From you shall come forth for meone who is to be ruler in Israel;Whose origin is from of old,from ancient times.(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the timewhen she who is to give birth has borne,And the rest of his brethren shall returnto the children of Israel.)He shall stand firm and shepherd his flockby the strength of the LORD,in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;And they shall remain,...

Polish Parishes Renew Consecration on Today Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa Continue festivities for 1,050th anniversary of nation‚Äôs baptism August 26, 2016ZENIT StaffMary and Mariology L'Osservatore Romano Poland‚Äôs Primate, Archbishop Wojciech Polak, presided over today‚Äôs celebrations of the Solemnity of Our Lady of Czestochowa at Jasna Gora. In his homily, the Primate noted that, with this celebration, we are, in a certain way, prolonging the joy of May‚Äôs Solemnity of Our Lady, Queen of Poland, when, on the occasion of the 1050th anniversary of Poland‚Äôs Baptism, we renewed our consecration to the Mother of the Redeemer.‚ÄúToday‚Äôs Solemnity of Our...

August 22, 2016 Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the Church of the Thessaloniansin God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:grace to you and peace from God our Fatherand the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters,as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more,and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater.Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of Godregarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutionsand the...

August 15, 2016 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mass during the Day Reading 1 Rev 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab Godís temple in heaven was opened,and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,with the moon under her feet,and on her head a crown of twelve stars.She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.Then another sign appeared in the sky;it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,and on its...

August 5, 2016 Friday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Na 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 See, upon the mountains there advancesthe bearer of good news, announcing peace!Celebrate your feasts, O Judah,fulfill your vows!For nevermore shall you be invadedby the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed.The LORD will restore the vine of Jacob,the pride of Israel,Though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined the tendrils. Woe to the bloody city, all lies,full of plunder, whose looting never stops!The crack of the whip, the rumbling sounds of wheels;horses a-gallop, chariots bounding, Cavalry charging, the flame of the sword, the flash...

July 16, 2016 Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Mic 2:1-5 Woe to those who plan iniquity,and work out evil on their couches;In the morning light they accomplish itwhen it lies within their power.They covet fields, and seize them;houses, and they take them;They cheat an owner of his house,a man of his inheritance.Therefore thus says the LORD:Behold, I am planning against this race an evilfrom which you shall not withdraw your necks;Nor shall you walk with head high,for it will be a time of evil. On that day a satire shall be sung over you,and...

June 4, 2016 Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 2 Tm 4:1-8 Beloved:I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,who will judge the living and the dead,and by his appearing and his kingly power:proclaim the word;be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrinebut, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truthand will be diverted to myths.But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances;put up...

May 31, 2016 Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18a Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!Sing joyfully, O Israel!Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!The LORD has removed the judgment against you,he has turned away your enemies;The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,you have no further misfortune to fear.On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!The LORD, your God, is in your midst,a mighty savior;He will rejoice over you with gladness,and renew you in his love,He will sing joyfully...

May 13, 2016 Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter Reading 1 Acts 25:13b-21 King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesareaon a visit to Festus.Since they spent several days there,Festus referred Paulís case to the king, saying,ďThere is a man here left in custody by Felix.When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jewsbrought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.I answered them that it was not Roman practiceto hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusersand had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.So when they came together here,...

April 4, 2016 Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!But Ahaz answered,ďI will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!ĒThen Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David!Is it not enough for you to weary people,must you also weary my God?Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,and shall name him Emmanuel,which means ďGod is with us!Ē Responsorial...

Perpetual virginity 3/9/2016 Question: I am a lifelong and devout Catholic and have always considered Mary to be ever virgin. But recently, I read in my Bible that Joseph had no relations with Mary ‚Äúbefore‚ÄĚ she bore a son (Mt 1:25). Now, I wonder if our belief does not contradict the Bible.‚ÄĒ Eugene DeClue, Festus, Missouri Answer: The Greek word ‚Äúheos,‚ÄĚ which your citation renders ‚Äúbefore,‚ÄĚ is more accurately translated ‚Äúuntil,‚ÄĚ which can be ambiguous without a wider context of time. It is true, in English, the usual sense of ‚Äúuntil‚ÄĚ is that I am doing or not doing something...

February 11, 2016 Thursday after Ash Wednesday Reading 1 Dt 30:15-20 Moses said to the people:"Today I have set before youlife and prosperity, death and doom.If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God,which I enjoin on you today,loving him, and walking in his ways,and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees,you will live and grow numerous,and the LORD, your God,will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy.If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen,but are led astray and adore and serve other gods,I tell you now that you will certainly perish;you will...

Biblical Basics about Mother Mary -- A Homily for the Second Sunday of the Year Msgr. Charles Pope January 16, 2016 In the gospel today of the wedding feast at Cana, there is a theological portrait of both Mother Mary and of prayer. Let's look at the Gospel along five lines:I. The place that Mary has - The text says, There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.A fascinating thing about these opening verses is that Mary almost seems to dominate the...

January 1, 2016 Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God Reading 1 Nm 6:22-27 The LORD said to Moses: "Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites.Say to them:The LORD bless you and keep you!The LORD let his face shine uponyou, and be gracious to you!The LORD look upon you kindly andgive you peace!So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them." Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.May God have pity on...

December 12, 2015 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Reading 1 Zec 2:14-17 Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,and they shall be his people,and he will dwell among you,and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land,and he will again choose Jerusalem.Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling. Or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab God's...

Mary's Immaculate Conception Is Fitting as Well as Faithful to Scripture Msgr. Charles Pope ‚ÄĘ December 7, 2015 ‚ÄĘ Today's Solemn Feast of the Immaculate Conception is often (mistakenly) thought to refer to the conception of the Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Mother. It does not. Perhaps it does not help the confusion that the Gospel chosen for today's feast is in fact the gospel of the Annunciation, wherein Jesus was conceived in Mary's womb by the power of the Holy Spirit! But there is a reason this gospel is chosen, as we shall later see. The dogma...

December 8, 2015 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Gn 3:9-15, 20 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,the LORD God called to the man and asked him, ‚ÄúWhere are you?‚ÄĚHe answered, "I heard you in the garden;but I was afraid, because I was naked,so I hid myself."Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked?You have eaten, then,from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!"The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me,she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it."The...

November 21, 2015 Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 1 Mc 6:1-13 As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces,he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais,famous for its wealth in silver and gold,and that its temple was very rich,containing gold helmets, breastplates, and weaponsleft there by Alexander, son of Philip,king of Macedon, the first king of the Greeks.He went therefore and tried to capture and pillage the city.But he could not do so,because his plan became known to the people of the citywho rose up in battle against him.So he retreated...

Our Lady of Fatima ¬Ė Her Prophecies and Warnings Remain as Essential as Ever! Msgr. Charles Pope ‚ÄĘ October 12, 2015 ‚ÄĘ This week on October 13 and 14th I am in Fatima. Such a profound apparition occurred there, and so accurately prophetic of our times!Our Lady¬ís warnings of the consequences if we did not pray and convert have proven to be sadly accurate. She warned of another, more terrible war (World War II). She spoke of great lights in the sky that would serve as a final warning before the terrible war. (They appeared all over Europe just before...

October 8, 2015 † Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Mal 3:13-20b You have defied me in word, says the LORD,yet you ask, ďWhat have we spoken against you?ĒYou have said, ďIt is vain to serve God,and what do we profit by keeping his command,And going about in penitential dressin awe of the LORD of hosts?Rather must we call the proud blessed;for indeed evildoers prosper,and even tempt God with impunity.ĒThen they who fear the LORD spoke with one another,and the LORD listened attentively;And a record book was written before himof those who fear the LORD...

October 7, 2015 † Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary Reading 1 Jon 4:1-11 Jonah was greatly displeasedand became angry that God did not carry out the evilhe threatened against Nineveh.He prayed, ďI beseech you, LORD,is not this what I said while I was still in my own country?This is why I fled at first to Tarshish.I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.And now, LORD, please take my life from me;for it is better for me to die than to live.ĒBut the LORD asked, ďHave you reason...

September 15, 2015 † Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows Reading 1 1 Tm 3:1-13 Beloved, this saying is trustworthy:whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable,married only once, temperate, self-controlled,decent, hospitable, able to teach,not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle,not contentious, not a lover of money.He must manage his own household well,keeping his children under control with perfect dignity;for if a man does not know how to manage his own household,how can he take care of the Church of God?He should not be a recent convert,so that he may not...

September 12, 2015 † Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Tm 1:15-17 Beloved:This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance:Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.Of these I am the foremost.But for that reason I was mercifully treated,so that in me, as the foremost,Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an examplefor those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God,honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Responsorial Psalm PS 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5 and 6-7 R. (2) Blessed be...

September 8, 2015 † Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Mi 5:1-4a The LORD says:You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,too small to be among the clans of Judah,From you shall come forth for meone who is to be ruler in Israel;Whose origin is from of old,from ancient times.(Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the timewhen she who is to give birth has borne,And the rest of his brethren shall returnto the children of Israel.)He shall stand firm and shepherd his flockby the strength of the LORD,in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;And they shall...

August 22, 2015 † Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Ru 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 Naomi had a prominent kinsman named Boaz,of the clan of her husband Elimelech.Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi,ďLet me go and glean ears of grain in the fieldof anyone who will allow me that favor.ĒNaomi said to her, ďGo, my daughter,Ē and she went.The field she entered to glean after the harvestershappened to be the section belonging to Boazof the clan of Elimelech. Boaz said to Ruth, ďListen, my daughter!Do not go to glean in anyone elseís field;you are not...

August 15, 2015 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Mass during the Day Reading 1 Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab Godís temple in heaven was opened,and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,with the moon under her feet,and on her head a crown of twelve stars.She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.Then another sign appeared in the sky;it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,and on its...

July 27, 2015Everyoneís a Bit KnottySarah Maw When glancing over the myriad of Marian devotions in the Catholic Church, itís easy to find yourself pondering: ďHow do I pick one? Can I pick only one? In the end, arenít they all just prayers to Mary?Ē Yes, our Marian prayers do all end up in the same place, in Godís hands through Mary. But, the long list of devotions isnít simply a way for Mary to accumulate as many awesome titles as possible. Each Marian devotion has a unique message behind it, directed to a specific audience, and is accompanied by...

† July 16, 2015 † Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 3:13-20 Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him,ďWhen I go to the children of Israel and say to them,ĎThe God of your fathers has sent me to you,íif they ask me, ĎWhat is his name?í what am I to tell them?ĒGod replied, ďI am who am.ĒThen he added, ďThis is what you shall tell the children of Israel:I AM sent me to you.Ē God spoke further to Moses, ďThus shall you say to the children of Israel:The...

June 13, 2015Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time ¬†¬† Reading 1 2 Cor 5:14-21 Brothers and sisters:The love of Christ impels us,once we have come to the conviction that one died for all;therefore, all have died.He indeed died for all,so that those who live might no longer live for themselvesbut for him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh;even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh,yet now we know him so no longer.So whoever is in Christ is a new creation:the old...

Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant By: Steve Ray Why do Catholics call Mary the Ark of the New Covenant? Answering that question will take us on a thrilling journey through the Old and New Testaments.For example, Luke wove some marvelous things into his Gospel that only a knowledgeable Jew would have understood‚ÄĒa Jew who knew Jewish Scripture and had eyes to see and ears to hear. One of the things he would have understood is typology.We all know that the Old Testament is full of stories, people, and historical events. A type is a person, thing, or...

May 13, 2015Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter ¬†¬† Reading 1 Acts 17:15, 22‚ÄĒ18:1 After Paul‚Äôs escorts had taken him to Athens,they came away with instructions for Silas and Timothyto join him as soon as possible. Then Paul stood up at the Areopagus and said:‚ÄúYou Athenians, I see that in every respectyou are very religious.For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,I even discovered an altar inscribed, ‚ÄėTo an Unknown God.‚ÄôWhat therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.The God who made the world and all that is in it,the Lord of heaven and earth,does not...

A Woman Wrapped in Silence ‚Äď A Meditation for the Feast of the Annunciation By: Msgr. Charles PopeIn preparation for today‚Äôs Feast of the Annunciation I picked up Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 3¬†(The Infancy Narratives) ¬†by Pope Emeritus Benedict. I was very moved by a very brief reflection that he made on Mary as the Angel Gabriel left her. His remarks consider her faith in a very touching manner. I must say that I have always been moved, and intrigued,¬†by the faith of the Blessed Mother, for she is ‚Äúa woman wrapped in silence,‚ÄĚ a phrase that forms the...

March 25, 2015Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord ¬†¬† Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!But Ahaz answered,‚ÄúI will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!‚ÄĚThen Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David!Is it not enough for you to weary people,must you also weary my God?Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,and shall name him Emmanuel,which means ‚ÄúGod is with us!‚ÄĚ Responsorial...

February 11, 2015Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time ¬†¬† Reading 1 Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17 At the time when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens‚ÄĒ while as yet there was no field shrub on earthand no grass of the field had sprouted,for the LORD God had sent no rain upon the earthand there was no man to till the soil, but a stream was welling up out of the earthand was watering all the surface of the ground‚ÄĒthe LORD God formed man out of the clay of the groundand blew into his nostrils the breath...

Featured Term selected at random:OUR LADY OF KNOCK†Ireland's revered Marian shrine in County Mayo, dating from 1879. On August 21 of that year, during a pouring rain, the figures of Mary, Joseph, and John the Apostle appeared over the gable of the village church, enveloped in a bright light. Beside them was an altar, with a Cross surmounting it and a Lamb at its feet. No words came from any of the figures. The parish priest was not informed until the next day, as the onlookers were too stunned to leave the scene. Twice in 1880 the apparition was...

January 8, 2015Thursday after Epiphany ¬†¬† Reading 1 1 Jn 4:19‚Äď5:4 Beloved, we love God becausehe first loved us. If anyone says, ‚ÄúI love God,‚ÄĚbut hates his brother, he is a liar;for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him:Whoever loves God must also love his brother. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,and everyone who loves the Fatherloves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of...

January 1, 2015The Octave Day of ChristmasSolemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God ¬†¬† Reading 1 Nm 6:22-27 The LORD said to Moses: ‚ÄúSpeak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites.Say to them:The LORD bless you and keep you!The LORD let his face shine uponyou, and be gracious to you!The LORD look upon you kindly andgive you peace!So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.‚ÄĚ Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8. R. (2a) May God bless us in his mercy.May...

Wedding at Cana, Garden in Eden Lesson Goals:1. To appreciate the Old Testament symbolism that forms the deep background to the Gospel account of the wedding feast at Cana.2. To understand how Mary is depicted as a ‚ÄúNew Eve‚ÄĚ in this account.3. To appreciate the importance of the Old Testament marriage symbolism for John‚Äôs recounting of the ‚Äúsign‚ÄĚ at Cana. Lesson Outline: ¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† I.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Mary in the Gospel of John¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† A.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† First Reading¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† B.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Sign of a New Creation¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† II.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† The Mother of Jesus¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† A.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Scolding Mary?¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† B.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Woman of Revelation¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† III.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† The New Eve¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† A.¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬†¬† Mother of All...

December 21, 2014Fourth Sunday of Advent ¬†¬† Reading 1 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16 When King David was settled in his palace,and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,he said to Nathan the prophet,‚ÄúHere I am living in a house of cedar,while the ark of God dwells in a tent!‚ÄĚNathan answered the king,‚ÄúGo, do whatever you have in mind,for the LORD is with you.‚ÄĚBut that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:‚ÄúGo, tell my servant David, ‚ÄėThus says the LORD:Should you build me a house to dwell in?‚Äô ‚ÄúIt was I who...

†∑†††††††† The Meaning of Christmas: Look Deeper ∑†††††††† PETER KREEFT While Christmas is so familiar that we sometimes wonder whether anything fresh and true can be said about it, there is a way to explore its meaning that may seem new to us today, yet is in fact quite traditional, dating back to the Middle Ages and the ancient Fathers of the Church.Modern interpreters often argue about whether a given Scripture passage should be interpreted literally or symbolically. Medieval writers would question the either/or approach. They thought a passage could have as many as four right interpretations, one literal...

Our Mother of Perpetual HelpPainted in tempera on hard nutwood, 21 inches by 17, the original picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of many copies of the famed Hodeguitria of St. Luke. (The Hodeguitria, reputedly painted by St. Luke, was venerated for centuries at Constantinople as a miraculous icon. It was destroyed by the Turks in the year 1453.) This particular image, however, is THE ONE COPY singled out ‚Äď by Our Lady herself ‚Äď for special heavenly favors. You may see it today enshrined above the high altar at the Redemptorist Church of San Alfonso,...

The reason for this article is to determine if the worship/veneration given to Mary by the catholic church is justified from a Biblical perspective. This will be evaluated using the Biblical standard and not manís standard.

December 12, 2014Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe ¬†¬† Reading 1 Zec 2:14-17 Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,and they shall be his people,and he will dwell among you,and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land,and he will again choose Jerusalem.Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling. or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab...

December 8, 2014Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin MaryPatronal Feastday of the United States of America ¬†¬† Reading 1 Gn 3:9-15, 20 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,the LORD God called to the man and asked him, ‚ÄúWhere are you?‚ÄĚHe answered, ‚ÄúI heard you in the garden;but I was afraid, because I was naked,so I hid myself.‚ÄĚThen he asked, ‚ÄúWho told you that you were naked?You have eaten, then,from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!‚ÄĚThe man replied, ‚ÄúThe woman whom you put here with meCshe gave me fruit from...

The Virgin BirthIt is a matter of Catholic faith that Mary was a Virgin at the conception and at the birth of Christ, and that she always remained a virgin after the birth of Christ. (The Dogma of the Immaculate Conception was declared in 1854, and is based on Catholic Tradition & the following information.) The virginal conception of our Lord denotes a conception without the cooperation of a human father. The thrice holy germ in Mary's womb, out of which the Chief of the human race was fashioned, received from the miraculous activity of the Holy Ghost its...

Saint John Paul II taught that Mary is a singular witness to the Gospel of Life. Having recently celebrated the feast day of John Paul the Great and recalling that, according to the liturgical calendar, Mary is some eight months pregnant (Christ‚Äôs birth hastens!), it seems appropriate to consider Our Lady‚Äôs witness to the joyous Gospel of Life.By Mary¬ís fiat¬óher ¬ďyes¬Ē to God¬óMary trod the path of all mothers as she welcomed a new life into the world within her womb. But unlike any other mother her ¬ďYes¬Ē was unique in that she welcomes into the world the one...